About Coach Alexa Lou Olson

I’m a mom, a coach, and a lifelong learner who genuinely loves helping people feel confident in their bodies and in their skill set. Whether that’s in the water or in everyday life. I’ll always meet you where you are and help you grow from there.

Meet Coach Lou: Your Guide to Confident, Safe, Strong, & Personalized Swim Instruction

With over a decade of experience in coaching, I specialize in helping swimmers develop calm breathing, strong body awareness, and true water confidence. I teach children grit, resilience, and self-trust through supportive, skill-based progressions, while also helping high-performance athletes refine technique, efficiency, and mental focus. Every lesson is personalized, evidence-based, and designed to meet each swimmer where they are—then guide them forward with clarity and purpose.

Certified & educatied Trainer

Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Nutrition Coach
CPR Certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine

Bachelors in Kinesology with a minor in health and nutrition from the University of Utah

Master of Education, Learning, and Technology from Western Governors University

Proven Experience

With over a decade of hands-on coaching experience, Swim Gym is built on real results in the water. I have worked with first-time swimmers, fearful children, adult beginners, and high-performance athletes, guiding each one through safe, structured progressions that build confidence, grit, and skill. My coaching is rooted in evidence-based techniques, calm breathing, and precise cueing, helping swimmers not only improve their ability but also develop trust in themselves and the water.

My Teaching & coaching Journey

Today, my coaching is rooted in honesty, empathy, and structure. I meet each swimmer exactly where they are. I coach breath control, body position, and efficient movement as the foundation of strong swimming. I teach confidence and water safety alongside skill development so swimmers feel secure and in control in the water. I emphasize mobility, flexibility, and recovery both in and out of the pool. I prioritize consistency over intensity so progress is safe, sustainable, and long lasting. My goal is to help swimmers feel calm, confident, and capable every time they step into the pool.

Working with swimmers ranging from ages 7 to 18 beginners through competitive athletes and both individual and team environments taught me how to:
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-Read and adapt to different learning styles
-Build trust with fearful or anxious swimmers
-Coach confident athletes while managing ego and pressure
-Motivate swimmers who struggle with self belief
-Support high performers during competitive seasons
-Communicate clearly with swimmers parents and teams
-Balance encouragement with accountability
- Adjust cues and strategies in real time
-Create structure while remaining flexible
-Lead teams while still coaching the individual

My approach is rooted in the belief that great coaching is not just about technique, but about understanding the swimmer in front of me, and meeting them where they are so they can grow safely confidently and consistently.

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Early Days

My journey as a swim coach began early and has been shaped by years of hands on experience with swimmers of all ages abilities and personalities.I started teaching swim lessons at 15 years old where I learned how to build trust, water safety, and confidence from the very first lesson. By 16 years old I was teaching private swim lessons which strengthened my ability to individualize instruction and adjust to each swimmer’s unique needs.

Growth Phase

At 18 years old I became an assistant coach for the South Davis Aquatic Team. During my time there I coached every single level from 7 year old beginners to 18 year old senior swimmers. Working with all age groups gave me a deep understanding of long term athlete development, stroke progression, team culture, and meet preparation. At 19 years old I served as an assistant swim coach at Davis High School, where I supported athletes with technique refinement conditioning and competitive mindset development.

At 20 years old I became the head coach of the Bountiful High School boys and girls swim teams. I held this role from age 20 to 26 leading both programs through multiple seasons. This experience strengthened my leadership skills, season planning abilities, and my capacity to coach athletes with different motivations confidence levels and performance goals.

Swim Gym LLC

Today I bring over 15 years of swim instruction experience into every lesson and training plan I create. My coaching blends technical expertise clear communication and emotional awareness so each swimmer feels supported capable and confident in the water.

my why

It makes me genuinely happy. I love helping children feel safe and confident in the water and giving parents peace of mind. I love helping adults gain confidence and seeing them feel proud of themselves. I believe drowning is preventable, and I want to be part of the reason fewer families ever have to experience that kind of fear or loss. Teaching swim lessons allows me to educate both kids and parents on water safety, awareness, and respect for the water, not just skills. Every lesson is an opportunity to build confidence, reduce risk, and empower families with knowledge that can truly save lives. That purpose is what drives my work and why I care so deeply about every swimmer I coach.

My Core Values

Building strength through community and inclusivity.

Foundations First

Breath, posture, and core connection come before load or speed. When the foundation is strong, movement feels safer, more effective, and more confident.

Adapted Strength

Strength is built by adjusting load, tempo, range of motion, and volume based on stress, sleep, hormones, postpartum recovery, and nervous system readiness. Some days that means progressing, and other days it means supporting.

Personalized Coaching

I coach the woman in front of me. Every instruction is personalized around breath, posture, nervous system readiness, and real life, with intentional cues and adaptations that meet women where they are. This approach builds calm, confident strength while helping women feel safe, supported, and capable in their bodies again.

Sustainability always

If it doesn’t fit real life, it won’t last. I coach methods women can return to again and again, through every season of life. Sustainability also comes from respect. When women feel safe, understood, and supported, they trust the process, stay engaged, and build habits that hold up long term.

Customer testimonials

Transformations from clients who trusted the process.

My kids have worked with Coach Lou for two years. I look at it as an investment in their safety, learning fundamental skills, and watching them push themselves to achieve what used to be a biggest fear. Prior to swim lessons, my daughter could not submerge her face in the water at all. Now she knows various strokes, can swim the length of the pool, and most importantly has skills to save herself whenever she feels tired or not in control in the water. Coach Lou takes a very personalized approach and tailors each lesson to fit the need. Coach Lou is so observant and knows when to push, how far to push, and when to stay within their range of comfort. She not only truly feels proud of each milestone that is met, but makes sure that your child also feels that self pride and can identify their own accomplishments as well as areas to continue strengthening.

Shaylee B.

Lou is such a wonderful swim coach to work with. She supports your child at the level they are at, while also encouraging them to push themselves outside of their comfort zone. Her focus on making sure kids have good technique before trying to get them to go fast has really helped my swimmers excel in their lessons and has helped them grow no only in their confidence, but has keep them enjoying the water.

Kaylie

Coach Lou has really helped me improve my swimming ability. She has a unique ability to meet you where you are and make things so easy to understand. If I couldn't grasp a concept she was ready to break it down in different learning styles until she found one that clicked for me. She is truly the best!

Isaac

Working with Coach Lou at Swim Gym completely changed my freestyle. I had been swimming for years but always felt like I was fighting the water. She broke my stroke down piece by piece and helped me understand body position, breathing, and timing in a way that finally clicked. My stroke feels smoother, more efficient, and a lot less exhausting. I’m swimming faster with less effort, and for the first time, freestyle actually feels good. I can’t recommend Swim Gym enough if you want real technique improvements.

David

I was terrified of deep water my entire life. After working with Lou at the Swim Gym for just 8 weeks, I can now swim laps confidently and even joined a masters swim group. The patient, encouraging approach that Lou coached with made all the difference.

- Sarah

My freestyle technique was holding me back in triathlons. Alexa Lou Olson at Swim Gym helped me drop 2 minutes off my swim split in just 6 weeks by fixing my body position and breathing pattern. Game changer!

- Marcus H.

As a mom of two, I wanted to make sure my kids were safe around water. The family swim lessons gave us all confidence in the pool, and now swimming is our favorite activity together. Couldn't recommend this program enough!

- Jennifer

At 55, I thought I was too old to learn proper swimming technique. Coach Lou proved me wrong. I've learned all four strokes and swimming has become my go-to exercise for staying active and healthy. My joints feel better and so do I!!

- Tristan

My daughter went from being afraid to put her face in the water to swimming independently in just three months. Alexa is so incredibly patient and made every lesson fun. She actually looks forward to swim class now!

- Emma A.

I've been swimming competitively for years, but my breaststroke needed work. The technique refinement I got here took my times from average to competitive at the state level. The attention to detail is incredible and I look forward to swim meets a lot more now.

- Ryan

Swimming has transformed my recovery from a knee injury. The low-impact workouts helped me rebuild strength without pain, and I've never felt better. Alexa Lou tailored everything to my specific needs and limitations. It's been the best thing I've ever done for myself.

- Lisa T.

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